Top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur

Abstract

A top/bottom pull front derailleur includes a base member, inner and outer links, a chain guide and a top/low adjustment mechanism coupled to the base member. The links are pivotally coupled between the base member and the chain guide. The inner link has a wire fixing part that can be used in top and bottom pull arrangements. The chain guide is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base member. The adjustment mechanism includes top and low adjusting bolts with longitudinal bolt axes angled more than zero degrees relative to a plane of the bicycle frame. The adjustment mechanism is mounted rearwardly of single attachment portion of the outer link or between a pair of attachment portions of the outer link. The bolt axes are preferably angled about 45 degrees or about 90 degrees relative to the plane of the frame.

1. A top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur comprising:
 a base member configured to be coupled to a portion of a bicycle frame, the base member including a front mounting flange and a rear mounting flange; 
 an inner link having a first end, a second end and an inner wire fixing part, the first end being pivotally coupled to the base member about a first inner link axis, and the inner wire fixing part being configured and arranged to guide an inner wire to be selectively guided in one of a top pull arrangement and a bottom pull arrangement; 
 an outer link having a first end and a second end with the first end of the outer link being pivotally coupled to the base member between the front and rear mounting flanges to pivot about a first outer link axis; 
 a chain guide pivotally coupled to the second end of the inner link about a second inner link axis and pivotally coupled to the second end of the outer link about a second outer link axis such that the chain guide is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base member; and 
 a top/low adjustment mechanism coupled to the base member, the top/low adjustment mechanism including
 a top position adjusting bolt with a top longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the extended position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, and 
 a low position adjusting bolt with a low longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the retracted position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, 
 the rear mounting flange having the top and low position adjusting bolts of the top/low adjustment mechanism coupled thereto such that the top and low adjusting bolts are spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the first end of the outer link. 
 
 
   
   
     2. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first end of the outer link is split into a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion with the top/low adjustment mechanism being disposed between the first and second attachment portions of the first end of the outer link. 
 
   
   
     3. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 45 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     4. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 90 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     5. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first end of the outer link has a first width as measured along the first outer link axis, and 
 the second end of the outer link has a second width as measured along the second outer link axis that is larger than the first width. 
 
   
   
     6. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein
 the second end of the outer link extends in a rearward direction of the top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur such that a rearward portion of the second end of the outer link is substantially vertically aligned with the rear mounting flange of the base member as viewed along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     7. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 45 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     8. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 90 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     9. A top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur comprising:
 a base member configured to be coupled to a portion of a bicycle frame; 
 an inner link having a first end, a second end and an inner wire fixing part, the first end being pivotally coupled to the base member about a first inner link axis, and the inner wire fixing part being configured and arranged to guide an inner wire to be selectively guided in one of a top pull arrangement and a bottom pull arrangement; 
 an outer link having a first end and a second end with the first end of the outer link being pivotally coupled to the base member about a first outer link axis; 
 a chain guide pivotally coupled to the second end of the inner link about a second inner link axis and pivotally coupled to the second end of the outer link about a second outer link axis such that the chain guide is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base member; and 
 a top/low adjustment mechanism coupled to the base member, the top/low adjustment mechanism including
 a top position adjusting bolt with a top longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the extended position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, and 
 a low position adjusting bolt with a low longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the retracted position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, 
 
 the inner wire fixing part including an inner wire attachment point disposed on a first side of a longitudinal axis of the inner link that is further from the longitudinal center plane than a bottom pull wire guiding surface disposed on a second opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the inner link that is closer to the longitudinal center plane than the first side, the longitudinal axis of the inner link connecting the first and second inner link axes, with the inner wire attachment point and the bottom pull wire guiding surface being fixedly attached to the inner link to move together with the inner link as a single unit. 
 
   
   
     10. A top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur comprising:
 a base member configured to be coupled to a portion of a bicycle frame; 
 an inner link having a first end, a second end and an inner wire fixing part, the first end being pivotally coupled to the base member about a first inner link axis, and the inner wire fixing part being configured and arranged to guide an inner wire to be selectively guided in one of a top pull arrangement and a bottom pull arrangement; 
 an outer link having a first end and a second end with the first end of the outer link being pivotally coupled to the base member about a first outer link axis, and the outer link being disposed further from a longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame than the inner link; 
 a chain guide pivotally coupled to the second end of the inner link about a second inner link axis and pivotally coupled to the second end of the outer link about a second outer link axis such that the chain guide is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base member; and 
 a top/low adjustment mechanism coupled to the base member, the top/low adjustment mechanism including
 a top position adjusting bolt with a top longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the extended position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, and 
 a low position adjusting bolt with a low longitudinal bolt axis arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame and configured to selectively contact the inner link to selectively adjust the retracted position of the chain guide with respect to the base member, 
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes being non-movable relative to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame, and 
 the top longitudinal bolt axis being disposed on a first side of the first outer link axis and the low longitudinal bolt axis being disposed on a second opposite side of the first outer link axis, as viewed along the first outer link axis. 
 
 
   
   
     11. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 45 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     12. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein
 the first end of the outer link is split into a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion with the top/low adjustment mechanism being disposed between the first and second attachment portions of the first end of the outer link. 
 
   
   
     13. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are disposed on the same side of the first outer link axis. 
 
   
   
     14. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are disposed between the first and second outer link axes. 
 
   
   
     15. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein
 the top and low longitudinal bolt axes are angled approximately 90 degrees relative to the plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     16. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the top/low adjustment mechanism includes an anti-loosening structure coupled between the top and low position adjusting bolts and the base member. 
 
   
   
     17. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein
 the anti-loosening structure includes a mounting plate that is a separate member from the base member. 
 
   
   
     18. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the inner wire fixing part of the inner link is spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the top/low adjustment mechanism and the first end of the inner link such that the top/low adjustment mechanism and the first end of the inner link are disposed longitudinally between the first end of the outer link and the inner wire fixing part. 
 
   
   
     19. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein
 the bottom pull wire guiding surface is non-movably fixed relative to the inner wire attachment point. 
 
   
   
     20. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the outer link is pivotally supported on the front and rear mounting flanges. 
 
   
   
     21. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein
 the first side of the longitudinal axis of the inner link is always disposed further from the longitudinal center plane than the bottom pull wire guiding surface, and the second opposite side of the longitudinal axis is closer to the longitudinal center plane than the first side when the longitudinal axis of the inner link is viewed along a plane parallel to the longitudinal center plane of the bicycle frame. 
 
   
   
     22. The top/bottom pull bicycle front derailleur as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein
 a plane passes through the outer axis and is parallel to the top and low longitudinal bolt axes, with the first and second sides of the first outer link axis being on opposite sides of the plane.